


Missus Sarah's: Dealer in Herbs, Psychic Readings and Other Magicks

by Tsuki_Amano



Series: 365 Stucky Shots [36]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Skinny Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-27 04:24:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8387056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsuki_Amano/pseuds/Tsuki_Amano
Summary: Bucky Barnes isn't proud of the fact that he's a thief, but if that's what he has to do to get the dinner on the table and to put Becca through school then he'll be the best thief he can be.Except this latest job of his might have been biting off more than he could chew and he really should start the being more observant about the shops he's breaking into. Because now he's terrified he'll be turned into a frog.





	

**Author's Note:**

> There might be a boat-load of mistakes in this one, but I'm sick so I haven't been able to focus a lot on the editing. Also, this came from a prompt I saw on tumblr.

“Uh… just to clarify, you’re not… going to turn me into a toad or something, are you?”

“Pal, **_don’t_** tempt me.”

Bucky gulps and nervously wonders if it’s too late to beg for mercy. In front of him, the tiny blond man who apparently owns this shop is glaring at him, one hand propped on the counter for support, the other holding a glass bottle of something that looked positively vile.

See, Bucky was a retrieval agent, or a thief for hire as Wilson had crudely put it. Over the years, he’d honed his skills and now got some fairly strange job offers. But he’d also learned not to ask too many questions, because the less he knew, the less guilty he felt and the more money he’d be able to earn. So, when he’d gotten a text asking him to retrieve the skull of a baby dragon from a seedy back alley shop, he’d shrugged, studied his escape routes and grabbed his gear.

Getting into the shop was pretty easy, aside from an old-fashioned padlock and chain, the place didn’t seem to have any sort of security. This confused him because once he got inside, he found the place laden with a bunch of what he could only describe as ‘weird shit’. There were bottles full of strange liquids and powders, fancy looking jewellery, old books and a vat of crystals. Why a place like this wouldn’t have at least one electronic alarm was beyond him.

Finding the box with the supposed dragon skull, he’d delicately placed it in a cloth bag and turned around to leave, only to find that he was no longer alone in the room.

Standing at the back entrance to the shop was a tiny blond man, a bottle of a greenish liquid in one hand and a scowl on his face.

Well, that was unexpected.

The man took a step forward and his scowl deepened when he saw what was in Bucky’s hands.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He spat angrily, “This is the third time this month.”

Blinking at him, Bucky said slowly, “I can assure you, as bad as this seems, this is the first time I’ve ever been here.”

Rolling his eyes, he said, “Not you, although I don’t understand how you’d expect anyone to trust what you say at face value.” He strides forward and Bucky takes a couple of steps back. In all honesty, he can’t understand why he’s so hesitant. He’s a good head taller than this man, and a whole lot stronger by the looks of it. Plus, he’s got what he’s here for and all he needs to do is run. But there’s something about this man, who’s so confident and fearless that makes him pause.

“Your employer, although apparently, you don’t know his name, Pierce, who’s one of the most disgusting men you’ll ever hear of, has been trying to get his hands on that skull for the last month. And as I’ve told the last two people who tried to steal it for him, if he wants it that badly, he can just come here and buy it. It’s not that expensive.”

He stops right in front of him and sticks his palm out, “I’ll be taking that back now if you don’t mind.”

Shifting uncomfortably, Bucky says, “Well, I mean, not to put you in an awkward position or anything, but I can’t…”

The owner, the nametag on his apron says Steve, looks heavenward and says in an exasperated voice, “Right of course, your payment.” He walks up to the counter and stares at Bucky appraisingly. “He’s not paying you nearly as much as he could be you know. You’re being short-changed a lot pal.”

“Wait… what?” Because there was no way this guy wasn’t just guessing, right? That was impossible.

“Look, I know you need the money and all, but honestly, how would your sister feel if she actually found out where you’d been getting it? How long do you think she’s going to buy the excuse that you’re working in an otherwise unspecified company?”

His blood runs cold. There are only three other people in the entire world who know what he’s told his sister. And Steve definitely hadn’t been included in that list the last time he’d checked.

“Who told you that?” he demands. And suddenly, the only thing he wants to do is get out of here, skull or no skull.

Steve looks bemused, “You’re kidding, right? You told me that. You’re easy to read. Abandoned as a kid, worked as a thief since then to keep food on the table and support you and your sister. You’ve got a good heart, although I’ve got to question whether your brain is in the right place.”

When he notices Bucky’s continued astonishment, he grins wryly, “Kid, didn’t you read the sign on the place when you broke in?”

He hadn’t.

Steve nods towards a flyer that he has pinned against the wall. It reads, “Missus Sarah’s – Dealer in Herbs, Psychic Readings and Other Magicks”.

“Sarah’s my mother. She’s asleep now, so if you wouldn’t mind keeping it down that’d be lovely. But I was lucky enough to inherit her psychic ability.”

“So you’re a witch?” Bucky says, his jaw dropping.

“Hardly, that takes years and years of training and skill. Maybe someday. Anyway, you’re deflecting. Now kindly hand over the skull and we can all get on with our day.”

Bucky bites his lip nervously, he wants to, because not only does he think he’s gotten involved in something way over his head, he also feels bad to steal from someone who looks like a strong breeze would blow him over.

“ _I heard that you jerk_!”.

“Stop reading my mind then!”

“You’re literally trying to steal my possessions. I hardly think you’re in any position to tell me what to do.”

“If you can read me so well then you know I can’t afford to turn down any job right now, not with college admissions around the corner.”

Steve places the beaker he’s holding down on the counter with a thud and blows out a stream of air. “You’re a good guy, I can see that much. You don’t want to be stealing, do you?” He fumbles around in a drawer below the shelf and pulls something out, “Look, Pierce is, for the most part a smart man. But he’s not smart enough to realise that this isn’t a dragon’s skull. It’s similar enough to fool him until you can come up with a convincing excuse. I’ll let you take it if you give me back that skull.”

“You’re just going to help me? Just like that?”

“Like I said, you’re not a bad guy. I can’t imagine what I’d have done being stuck in a situation like yours. You’re just trying to survive and I respect that. Besides, my mom will never forgive me if I don’t help you.”

He mutters something under his breath, which Bucky can’t quite hear but he can swear he overhears the word cute somewhere. Nodding his head, he exchanges his finding for what Steve has in his hands and makes his way to the door. At the entrance, he turns around and shuffles his feet shyly, “Um… thanks for you know, not calling the cops or hexing me or anything.”

“Don’t mention it,” Steve says, with an amused twist of his lips.

“By the way Barnes,” he adds, as he turns around, “If you ever want to look at something beyond being a thief for hire, let me know. I could use someone with your skill.”

And with that Steve’s gone, and Bucky’s left blinking at the empty shop.

“You offered him a job?”

Steve shrugs his shoulders, moving past his red-haired friend as he reaches up to hang a garland of dried garlic. “He’s got an interesting array of skills and they’d be useful to us.”

“Uh huh,” says Natasha, wholly unconvinced. “And it had nothing to do with the fact you found him attractive?”

He’s about to snap out a reply when the door swings open and the pair turn to greet the supposed customer.

Steve’s eyebrows raise when he sees who it is.

Bucky shyly smiles at him and says, “About that job offer…”

 

* * *

 

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